In many off-highway operations, a machine operator must remain seated for extended periods of time while controlling operation of the machine. Oftentimes, the machine is subject to high vibration levels that may interfere with operator control and may cause the operator to fatigue more quickly. Seats, therefore, should be designed to permit the operator to perform tasks from a comfortable position and isolate the operator, as much as possible, from these machine vibrations.
A variety of seat suspensions, including passive, semi-active, and active suspension systems, have been designed to absorb and/or dissipate the forces imparted to the seat. For example, a common scissors linkage system, incorporating an air spring for vibration absorption, is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,509. However, there is a continuing need for suspensions that are simply constructed and inexpensive, while still providing the necessary absorption of vibrations.
The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems set forth above.